Remember March, the ides of March remember!
Back in the days, when I was an actor to audition I had to prepare a contemporary and classic monologue. My classic choice is appropriate for today March 15th and was culled together from this scene, Act 4, Scene 3, from Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar. . Like Jason Robarts below, my role was that of Marcus Brutus. Cassius who is a conspirator against Caesar and a friend of Brutus comes in angry because Brutus won’t give him additional funds for his army. Enjoy some classic literature and a video:
Remember March, the ides of March remember. Did not great Julius bleed for justice’ sake?
What villain touch’d his body, that did stab, And not for justice?
What, shall one of us, That struck the foremost man of all this world But for supporting robbers,
shall we now Contaminate our fingers with base bribes?
And sell the mighty space of our large honors For so much trash as may be grasped thus?
I had rather be a dog and bay the moon, Than such a Roman.
Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler?
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares?
All this? Ay, more.
Fret till your proud heart breaks.
Go show your slaves how choleric you are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I bouge?
Must I observe you? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humor?
By the gods, You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you, for, from this day forth,
I’ll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.
H/T The Bard Of Avon
It’s become a family tradition. on March 15th I wake up my kids by emoting the Brutus speech performed by Jason Robarts in the video below. And when they have friends over on the 15th, they tell them to go up to their father and ask, “what’s today’s date ?” so I can give them a dose of Shakespeare.
Note: The 15th of March, 44 BCE was the 25th of Adar 3717 on the Jewish Calendar. This year the 25th of Adar fell on March 9th in the secular calendar. Therefore, today is not Julius Caesar’s yahrzeit in case anyone was wondering there is no need for the extra prayer for him at minyan.
Remember March, the ides of March remember, Remember March, the ides of March remember, Remember March, the ides of March remember,
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